Self-leveling dispenser



Filed April 2, 1956 July 12, 1960 A. P. SIMPSON SELF-LEVELING DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ,jmPsolv July 12, 1960 Filed April 2, 1956 A. P. SIMPSON SELF-LEVELING DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 Y LZMJM theb I R 2,944,672 a i 1 SELF-LEVELING DISPENSER,

Arthur P. Simpson, River Edge, N.J., assignor to AIiierican Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 2, 1956, Ser. No. 575,633

3 Claims. 01. 211-49 This invention relates to a storing and dispensing apparatus ofthe self-leveling type. p

In self-leveling dispensers, particularly those designed for carrying loads in excess of 300 pounds, it has been found that there is sometimes a tendency for the dispenser to be sluggish in rising from its fully loaded position. This. is particularly true in a cantilever type selflevelin-g storing. and dispensing apparatus. Part of the sluggishness has been due to the increase in friction when the dispenser is fully loaded, and part may be due to the'25 canting effect that results from the use of 'a cantilevertype, self-leveling dispenser.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to provide for this. problem by incorporating auxiliary energy-adding devices such as hydraulic or mechanical means to overcome the sluggishness referred to, while in other cases, staggered linkages have been employed.

It isan object of the present inventionto overcome this sluggishness by providing asupplemental compression spring directly underneath the platform that supports U the load so that an additional counterbalancingforce is exerted 'directlyon the load; This has the advantage that "j "not onlyis a highlcapacity tension-" springflifting force 7 being exerted on thecarrier but also a compression. spring 'force directly at the point where it ismost neededwhen the heaviest load is being supported, to thereby overcome the. frictional and canting forces referred to. r

Other objects and features of the'invention as the description of the'particularphysical embodiment i i i 'A pair of downwardly extending legs24 having rollers 26 thereon ride on the front surface of the upright 16 while a pair of upwardly extending legs 28, having rollers 30 mounted thereon track onthe inside of the upright 16. Another pair of rollers 32 is provided for tracking against the'inside' 34 of the upright 16 to prevent the carrier 18 from moving sidewise while it travels up and down,

'It will thus be noted that the centilever platform is maintained level as it rides up and down on thevertical upright 16 in a manner similar to that shown in US. Patent 2,662,802, granted to William J, Gibbs on December 15, 1953. y I

A sprocket chain 36 is connected at one end to the cantilever platform 18 and is adjustably connected at the other end to a bracket 38 extending from the'upper end of the upright 16- by means of a conventional bolt and nut assembly 40. Elongated flexible members such as sprocket chains 36 are trained over a pair of sprockets 42 supported at the upper end of the upright 16, and are trained downwardly to form a loop '44 for supporting a saddle shaft 46 having a pair of freely rotatable sprockets 48 mounted thereon in a manner similar to the aforementioned Patent 2,662,802.

It will be appreciated that While I have shown a dispenser employing. a 2 to 1 ratio, any other ratio such as 1 to 1 or 3 to 1 could also be employed to provide a counterbalancing arrangement.

A plurality of calibrated tension springs 50 connected in between the base 10 and the saddle shaft 46 are provided for imparting a calibrated counterbalancing force to the cantilever platform 18 which will vary proportionately to the distance the cantilevered platform 18 is willappear selected to-illustrate. the invention progresses. In' the ac- I.

'companying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughoutrthe several views which makeup the drawings..:r a J a- Figure 1 isa side elevation, partly'insectionrof a self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus-incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is an endelevation taken on line 2+2of Figure 1. r 1

I Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side formofmyinvention f .1 .7 Figure 4 is a cross-sectional end elevation taken'online .4-4ofFigur3-f*-' 1 5 Figure 5 ha partial end section on line's-5 'OfFigu1'"3 .z-

With. reference 'tothe; drawings the selfaleveling dise penser shown Figure 1,. consists of aibase 10 supported 7 on a pairof casters 1 2,; and :a; pair of swivel casters 14 mounted .on; the ,ends of the base 1Q. An upright frameelevation of a modified 1 work orzhousing im -extends; upwardly from-j one side of 3:

4 5 .110 A mnt lever .c ef pl orm rfcarri '1 mountedjor-jup and, down travelon the upright'1 6.

Ihe icarriage' 518' has arpairj .of arms *20iwhich :extend .jthroughxsuitable'slots- 2:2"formed inlthe' fac .o'ff'the 7.; :cantilever platform When all the .material platform moved so asto maintain'the top of the material supstored on the platform 18.: -;v

j From this dGSCIlP'tlOIl '1tzw ll be. apparent that when I material such as tote boxes 52 stacked thereon,the addi tional downward force exerted by gravity will cause the calibrated counterbalancing springs 50 to stretch a proportionate amount As' indicated the springs 50 are calibrated so as to exert a force sufficient to maintain the top of the'top box 52ata substantially constant level with respect to the upper end of. the upright '16.

' As additionalweight is added to the weight supported a r on the cantilevered platform 18,' the platform 18 descends until it comes into contact with the cover plate 54 secured to the top of compression springs 56. .Thelower ends of the calibrated compression springs 56' are connected to the lower plate 58. The lower plate 58 is'connected by suitable means such as welding to the base 10. 7

As the platform 18 continues to have more material stacked thereon, it willcontinue its descent compressing the compression springs 56 'whileisimultaneoiisly stretching the tension springs 50.

18 'andjthe unloading has commenced, as material is removed from the top of the stack there will 'he EupWard pressure exerted on the vplatform 18 by the tension springs '50 and the compression springs56 The compression springs 56 acting directly against the under side of theplatform-yIS not only tend'to dimimshthe frictional forces being exerted onithe'sprocket bearings and the links "of the-sprocket chain, but also 'on' the rollers 26and 30. Alsothe-u'pward force exert'edgby springs 561tends to correct the torque exerted by the r r Ju -1 2A? has been completely stored on 18, 'on the rollersitravelingqonx the V upright 16 by exerting a force in the opposite direction.

Whilel have shown the compression springs-as being fixed at their lower ends to the base 10, it will be appreciated that the compression springs could have been mounted on the under side of the. carrier 18. In this case they would engage with the base as the carrier is lowered. The important factor is that compression springs be interposed between the carrier and the base sothat they will be compressed when the carrier is in the lowermost position.

In the modified form of my invention 1 have shown how the supplementalcompression springs may be em ployed with respectto a carrier or platform that is supported at four corners,'instead of just on one side, in a manner similar to that shown in U.S. Patent 2,649,992, granted to Christopher Bockius on August 25, 1953. In this embodiment of the invention, the self-leveling dispenser consists of a housing 6%) which is supported on stationary casters 62 and swivelcasters' 64.

The material supporting carrier or platform 66 is supported by a pair of suitable brackets 67 which are attached to spacedsprocket chains 68 which travel over a pair'of pulleys 79 and are adjustably connected at the opposite end by means of an adjusting nut 72 and a bracket 74 through which the bolts '76 extend. The other side-0f the platform 66 is connected to brackets 71 which are connected to the ends of a pair of spaced sprocket chains 78 which pass over sprockets 8t and a pair of sprockets '73 mounted on the shaft 69 in a manner similar to that shown in US. Patent 2,649,992.

The ends of these chains '78 are similarly connected to suitable adjusting anchors in the same manner as sprocket chains 63. A saddle shaft 82 on which two pair of sprockets 79 and 84 are freely mounted is supported in the loops 86 and 87 formed by the sprocket chains 63 and 78. p

When material is placed on top of the material. supporting platform 66 the platform'descends drawing the sprocket chains 68 and '78 over their respective sprockets. This action causes the loop 86 to shorten, which, in turn, causes the calibrated tension spring 88 to be stretched a distance which will maintain the top of the material at a substantially constant level.

As the loading process is continued, the platform es ultimately comes into contact with the. plate 9tlcon- -nected to the'upper end of compression springs 92. The

plate 9% is secured to the top of springs 92 by suitable -means such as clamps or welding and the springs are supported at their lower end on a lower plate 9 which is fixed to the bottom of housing 60'.

As the platform 66 continues its descent, it causes the compression springs 92 to be compressed'until it reaches its lowermost limit of travel.

When the platform 66 has reached its lowermostlunit of travel, the greatest amount of friction will thenbe exerted upon the sprockets 7t and 8t and upon the links -'of the'sprocket chain. Due to the large amount of fric- 'tion generated in these moving parts as well as the inertia of the platform itselflthere ordinarily would be a tendencyfor'the platform 66 to stick or'be sluggish which,

of course, is undesirable because the material then would ---not be maintained at a constant level. However, owing to the present compression springs 92, this tendency of the carrier to hesitate at this point of the unloading proc- --ess is overcome by the compression springs 92 possessing sufficient load characteristics and applying a direct liftare exceedingly heavy. 7

'Aspreviously indicated'the compression springs 92 could'be mounted on either the base of the dispenser or can be secured to the underside of the platform or carrier.

The important factoris that they bepositioned' to -be compressed between the carrier and the base when the carrier is vinits lowermostpositionso that they can use this stored energy to lift the carrier when the unloading operation commences.

The invention herein above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is .not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a base; an uprightframework extending upwardly from said base, a carrier movable up and down relative to said upright framework above said base, means for maintaining said carrier horizontal when it travels up and down, calibrated yieldable tension spring means anchored against movement at one end and connected at a portion remote from said anchored end to said carrier, said tension spring means being of a tension which will exert a counterbalancing force'which will be proportional to the distance said carrier moves so as to maintain the top of the material supported thereon at a constant level by raising'or lowering said carriera dis tance corresponding to the weightof each'decrement or increment of material removed from or added to said carrier, a compression spring unit positioned in' the path of the descending carrier and secured at its lower end to said base and having its upper end free and located beneath said carrier at a-substantial distance below the carriers upper position, said springs possessing sufiicient load characteristics to engage said carrier supplementing the lifting effect of said tension spring means only at the lower portion of the carriers movement to overcome the when it travels up and down, calibrated tension spring Imeans anchored against movement atone "endand connected at the oth'en'end to said cantilever platform, said tension spring means being of a tension which will exert a 'counterbalancing" force which will (be proportional to the distance -S8ldiC3l1iZll6V6l' platform :moves so as to maintain the top of the material'supported thereon at a constant levellby raising orlowering said cantilever platform adistanc'e corresponding to the weight of each decrement or increment of material removed from or added to said cantilever platform, a cornpressionspring unit positioned in the .pa-th'rof the descending cantilever platformand secured: at its lower end to said base and having its upper end free and located beneath said cantilever platform at asubstantial distance below the'c'antileverplatforms upper position, saidspring' possessing sufficient load characteristics to engage said cantilever platform supplementing the lifting effect of said calibrated tension spring means only at the lower portion of the cantilever platforms movement to overcome the initial inertia resistance to rising.

'3. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a base, a four sided upright 'framework'extendingupwardlyfrom said base, a carrier movable up and down inside of said framework, a plurality of'cali- 1 brated tension 'spring -means' anchored against movement at one end and connected at -the otheren'd to] said carrier, said tension spring means being of a tension which exert a counterbalancing force which;willbeprdportiohal'to the distancesaid carrier moves soIas to maintain thetop of the material supported thereonat a constant 'levef by raising or lowering said carrier a distance-corresponding -to the :weight of each decrement or increment ofmaaster removed from or :added to said" carrier, "a compression spring unit positioned in the path of the" descend- 5 ing carrier and secured at its lower end to said base and having its upper end free and located beneath said carrier at a substantial distance below the carriers upper position, said spring possessing sufiicient load characteristics to engage said carrier supplementing the lifting effect of said calibrated tension spring means only at the lower portion of the carriers movement to overcome the initial inertia resistance to rising.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Culver Oct. 7, 1879 Wessman Sept. 10, 1932 Smith July 29, 1952 Larsen Oct. 19, 1954 VGibbs Mar. 27, 1956 

